Breather valve for tanks



y INVENTOR. /Wf IZ'. Jamas BY W aw A TORNEYS July 18, 1933.

H. A, JoNx-:s

BREATHER VALVE FOR TANKS Filed Jan. 4, 1950 HENRY ALBERT JONES, FLYNWOOD, CALIFORNIA, SSIGNOR T0 FRANK V. LONG, 0F

say, an inlet valve and an outlet valve.

Patented July 18, l 1933 UNITED y STA TES,-

COMPTON, CALIFORNIA, TRUSTEE BREATHER VALVE Fon TANKS Appncanon meaJanuary .4, leso. serial no. 418,551.

This invention relates to Valves of the general type known as breathervalves, andv which are usedin connection with tanks or other containersfor gas or a liquid such as gasoline that is more or less volatile. Intanks used for this purpose it is necessary to control the internalpressure in order to prevent any possibility of the failure of the Vtank wall or roof by reason' of unbalancing usually Aincludes a double`valve, that 1s to lThe general object of this inventionl is to provideavalve of this kind of simple construction and particularly adaptedforhavling its parts constructed ofsheet metal so h that the,lcompletedevice,

although it may beA of large size, will be of relatively light weight sothat it can be readily raised and set in place over a tank. 1

It is necessary that the two relief yalves employed in this breathervalve should be Y reliable in operation so that they can be def pendedupon to open upon the existence ofd tal duectlon as Wlu appear from aCOmPaI'l' a certain differential pressure between the interior of thetank and the atmosphere outside of the tank.

One of the objects of the invention is to construct a valvensothat thetwo relief valves aan be depended upon to rise from their seats t assoon as a certain definite diifrential pres.

' sure exists which might be dangerous to the tank wall or roof.

A further object of the invention -is to provide, simple means forguiding the valves when they rise from their seats.

Further objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists of the*y novel parts :md combination of parts tobe described hereinafter, all of which contribute to produce aneflicient breather valve for tanks.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described in the followingspecification, while -the broad scope of the invention is pointed out inthe appended claims.

In. the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan of. a valve embodying my invention.

.Fig` 2 is a vertical section through the Valve, taken on the line 2-2of Figure 1.

Referring more particularly to the parts, 1 represents an outer casingwhich is prefer'ably constructed of sheet. metal in the form of asubstantially spherical head, the lower portion .of which is attached toal base plate 2. This outer casing or head 1 is preferably formed with asubstantially flat side wall 3 having an ,opening 4 therethrough,referably formed with an -outwardly proJecting flanfge 5 for a purposewhich will appear hereina ter. f

This outer casing is preferably formed in4 son .of Figs. 1 and 2.

The breather valve includes an inner casing 11 that extends in throughthe opening 4 and which fills the opening so that the wall of the innercasing seats against lthe inner side of the fiange 5 and so that agas-tight connection is made at this point.

, The inner end of the inner casing is of curved form, as indicated bythe dotted line 12.in'Fig. 1, so that it conforms to the shape of theouter casing and so that an annular outer casing and extending part-wayaround the same, this space communicating above* 4 with a valve chamber14 in the upper part of the outer casing, and a valve chamber in thelower part of the outer casing and directly space 13 is formed betweenthe inner and' over the base plate 2, where an opening 16 is provided tomake a connection to the tank or lother container with which the valve1s employed. I

The inner casing presents an' upper wall 17 formed with avalve opening18, and presents a lower wall 19 with a valve opening 20. 'Ihese valveopenings are preferably of circular form and concentric with each other,and at each valve opening the material of the wall is preferably turnedupwardly to form va flange 21, the upper edge of which operates as aseat forthe corresponding relief valve.

0n theupper opening 18 an inlet relief valve 22 is provided, which likethe outer casing and the inner. casing, may be constructed out of sheetmetal.V 'This valve comprises a cover. plate 23 of dished form having anannular outer portion 24 that is con- I`1`ected to a substantiallyconical shell 25 that cooperates with theplate 23 to form ahollow'valve.

The shell 25, while it is of substantially conical form is preferablyformed of concavo-convex shape, that is to say, the elements' of thecone have al form as though they were formed on an arc struck on aradnis.

. The middle portion of this valve is inthe form ofv a tubular'sleeve 26that rigidly vconnects the lower end of the conical portion 25 of thevalve with the plate 23. .In this Way, a hollow valve is formed with aninternal chamber 27. I utilize this chamber to receive a quantity of aiinely divided sub- "stance having a considerable specific gravity,

j adapted to receive a quantity of shot 33. By regulating the amount ofshot placed in these valves, the weight of the valve can 'be very nicelyregulated, and furthermore, it will be noted that the use of shot inthis Way causes the center of gravity of the valve carrying the shot tobe located considerably below the valve seat.

This is advantageous because the action of gravity operates likeacentral force pulling down on the middle of the valve` and this tends toprevent any tendency of the valves toAbecome cocked or tilted withoneedge raised and the opposite edge depressed.

The form of the underside of each valve is concavo-convex. In otherwords, the valve is of substantially conical form but with its facecurved substantially as indicated.

In this way the gas flowing upwardly gradually changes its directionofvflow with as little friction as possible and without forming eddycurrents. t A

The two relief valves are preferably provided with common guiding'Imeans. For this purpose, I provide a guide frame 34, the lower portionof which is in the form of a spider with a plurality of radial arms 35extending outwardly from a central`hub36. This hub has attached to itscenter a tubular guide 37 thatextends upwardly and inside of the sleeve26 so as to guide the uppei` valve as it rises and falls. In addition tothis, the lower Valve'isprovided with an upwardly extending stem 38 thatprojects into the lower end of the guide tube. 37.

One of the advantages of the guideonstruction described above is thatthe stem 38 and the guide tube 37 are in the atmosphere and are notexposed to the gases within the tank except when the valve opens. Thisreduces to a minimum the corrosive effects of the gases which'may bevery destructive on metal exposed to thel gases. i

It is obvious that instead of employing shot or similar finely dividedsubstance in the chambers within the valves, any other desired means maybe employed to give them the desired weight. For example, asmallquantity of lead may be poured intothem.

The guide frame 34 includes upwardly extending posts 39 that projectvertically and which are formed as extensions of the arms 35. The upperends of these posts project through the upperwall 17 of the inner casingand extend up parallel with each other r near the periphery of the uppervalve.

i Near the outer ends of the larms 35 of the i l l spider downwardlyextending posts 40 are provlided. which lie near the edge of the lowervalve. These posts-cooperate with the valves when they rise from theirseats and assist valves back onto their seats y close. l

The outer endl of the inner casing extends outwardly beyond the flange 5and forms a joint 41, with an elbow 42 that bends downwardly and has itsmouth screen 43.

It is understood that the embodiment of the invention described hereinis only'one of lthe many embodiments this invention may take, and I donot wish to be limited in the practice ofinvention, nor in the claims,to the particular embodiment set forth.

I claim:

covered by a wire 1. A breather valve having an outer casing ofsubstantially circular form vin plan, with an opening formed at one sidethereof, an lnner casing formed as a separate part extending in throughthe said opening, and making a gas-tight connection with the edge ofsaid opening, and having an upper wall Wlth a valve opening of circularform and a lower wall with a valve opening of circular form, said valveopenings being in substantially axial alinement with each other, valveshaving solid discs corresponding to the said valve openings, filling theentire area of'the said openings, common guiding means for guiding bothvalves adjacent the central axis, and weights carried by the valve discsbelow the valve openings cooperating with the guiding means to hold thevalves upright when they open.

2. Inr a breather valve, the combination of an outer casing having anopening on one side', an inner casing filling the said opening, securedtherein and extending into the interior of the outer casing, said innereasing having an upper Wall with a valve opening and a lower wall with avalve opening, substantially in alinement with the first named valveopening, an inlet relief valve seating on the upper side of the upperopening, and an outlet relief valve seating on the upper side of thelower opening, a guide stem carried by the lower valve extending up co-:Lxially from the lower valve, a fixed guiding means for guiding theupper end of the said stem, said upper valve having a guide tube closedabove cooperating with the fixed guiding means for guiding itself on thefixe-d guiding means, and a weight surrounding the guide tube andlocated below the upper valve openinff.

3. In a breather valve, the combination of an outer casing having anopening in its side, an inner casing mounted in thel said opening andextending into the interior of the outer casing, said inner casinghaving r an upper wall with a valve opening, and a lower wall with avalve opening in alinement wlth the first named openlng, a valvecorresponding to each valve opening, seating on the upper edge of eachopening with the valves body below the opening, said valves being in theform of substantially conical `iollow shells below the valve openingswith their points disposed downwardly so that chambers are formed withinthe valves, and -Weight material held in said chambers at the lower endsof the said conical shells to give each valve any desired Weight tocorrespond with pressures under which the said valves operate, saidweight material cooperating to maintain the valves upright when raisedoi their seats.

4. A breather valve to be connected to au tank or the like containinggas, having an outer casing with an opening in the side thereof, aninner casingmounted in said f opening so as to ill the same, extendinginto he interior of the said outer casing, said inner casing having anupper wall with a valve opening and a lower wall with a valve openingsubstantially in alinement with the upper valve opening, a valvecorresponding '.'o each valve opening, said valves being in the form ofsubstantially conical hollowA valve opening, the low valve having anupwardly extendingstern and the upper valve having a tubular centralsleeve, and a fixed tubular guide received in the said sleeve andreceiving the said stem so as to guide both of said valves.

5. A breather valve to be connected to a tank' or the like containinggas, having an outer casing vwith an opening in the side thereof, aninner casing mounted in said opening so as to till the same, extendinginto the interior of the said outer casing, said inner lcasing having anupper wall with a valve opening and a lower wall with a valve openingsubstantially in alinement with the upper valve opening, a valvecorresponding to each valve opening, said valves being in the forni ofsubstantially conical hollow shells with their reduced ends disposeddownwardly, and having chambers therein to receive shot or the like togive the valves any desired weight, each of said valves seating upon theupper side of its corresponding valve opening, the lower valve having anupwardly extending stem. and the upper valve having a tubular centralsleeve, a fixed tubular guide received in the said sleeve and receivingthe said stem so as to guide both of said valves` and guide means in theform of upwardly extending posts disposed around the periphery of tht`valves and cooperating with the .said tubular guiding means to'guide thevalves when they rise oil' of their openings.

6. A breather valve for controlling the internal pressure in a tank orthe like containlng gas, having an outer casing with an opening in itsside wall, an inner casing located at the said opening and projectinginto the interior of the outer casing, said inner casing having an upperWall with a valve opening therein, and a lower wall with a valve openingtherein substantially in alinement with the upper valve opening, a guideframe supported on the inner casing, comprising a spider with armshaving extensions secured to the inner casing, a central guide tubesup-l llo guide the said valves and prevent cocking off the valves whenthey rise E of their seats,

and a removable cover for the outer casing enabling the posts to beattached after the 5 inner casing has beei inserted in the outer casing.

7. A valve of theY kind described, having a cover plate with an annularouter portion to come upon the valve seat, and having a centrallydisposed substantially conical body extending down from the coverl plateand having a chamber therein below the cover plate, and a weightingmaterial receivedin said chamber located considerably below the'level\of the valve seat and operating to maintain the valve in a substantiallyupright position when it is off its seat. 8. A breather valve formed ofsheet metal having an outer casing with an opening in one side wallthereof, an'inner'casing separate from the outer casing, vextending inthrough the said opening into the interior of the outer casing andhaving an upper' wall with a valve seat on its upper side and a reliefinlet valve received on the seat, and a lower wall with a valve seat onits upper side with an outlet reliefl valve received on the last namedseat, said .valves being of ysub'- stantially conical form and eachhaving a head resting on its seat with the body of the l valve extendingdown through the valve opening and having a chamber at its lower end tohold a weight at a considerable distance below the valve seat withachamber in their lower end. y

9. A valve of the kind described having a body of substantiallyl conicalform, but Ihaving elements concave o'n their outer side and convex ontheir inner side, means'- for supoorting the valve and guiding the samewith its smaller end downward, and a weight 'substance carried in thevalve near its lower end.

10. A valve of the kind described having a body of substantially conicalform composed of elements concave on their-outer side and convex ontheir inner side and forming a chamber within the same, said valveconstructed to operate with its small end downwardly, and a weightsubstance carried with- ".n the valve at its lower end.

11. A valve of the kind described having a shell of substantiallyconical form composed of elements concave on their outerl side andconvex on th'eirinner side with the small end I of the valve disposeddownwardly, a guide' .stem passing up from the lower end of the openingso as to fill the same, extending into the interior of the said outercasing, said inner casing having an upper wall with a valve opening anda lower wall with a valve opening substantially in alinement with theupper valve opening, a valve corresponding to each valve opening, saidvalves being in |the lform of substantially conical hollow.85`

shells with their reduced ends disposed downwardly, and having chamberstherein to re' ceive shot or the like to give the valves any desiredweight, each of :said valves seating upon the upper side of itscorresponding valve opening, the lower valve having an upwardlyextending stem and the upper valve having a tubular centralsleevereceiving the said stem.

13. A breather valve -to-be connected to a tank orthe like containinggas, having an outer casing with an opening in the side thereof, aninner casing mounted in said opening so as to lill the same, extendinginto the interior of the saidouter casing, said inn`er 100 casing havingan upper wall with a valve opening and a lower wall with a valve openingsubstantially in alinement with the upper valve opening, a valvecorresponding to each valve opening, said valves ,being 1n 105 y the:form of substantially conical hollow shells with their reduced endsdisposed down-` wardly, and havingchambers therein to receive shot orthe like to give the valves any desired weight, each of said valvesseating upon the upper side of its corresponding valve opening, thelower valve having an upwardly extending stem, and the\ upper valveaving a tubular central sleeve, receivingy said stem, and means forguiding each oli'4 the 115 lvalves at their edges.

HENRY ALBERT JoNE's.

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